Banana Split

[B.]

A friend of my family met the Bonannos in Arizona many decades ago when he was young. He barely knew them but got referred by someone else and did some odd jobs for them in the area. He was around Bill's age. Anyway, there was nothing too interesting about it since he really didn't know them, but he had two stories I found interesting...

- There was a restaurant/bar that the Bonannos or one of their friends had some kind of interest in and they asked him to transport some of the liquor from the old location to a new spot they were moving to. He was terrified that the bottles were going to break during the ride and that they'd punish him, but it all ended up fine. Does anyone know of any restaurants/bars/clubs that the Bonannos may have been connected to in Arizona in the 1960s? Maybe there is a record of it somewhere.

- He was with them once when Bill was having a discussion with an accountant and apparently Bill was being verbally abusive to him (the accountant) in front of everyone. Joe Bonanno came into the room and saw what was going on and flew off the handle, absolutely furious at Bill. The guy said that JB had always been very quiet and kept to himself every other time he'd seen him, but in this instance JB was screaming and bordering on being violent toward Bill, talking about how it was embarrassing for Bill to behave that way in front of other people and that Bill shrunk down in front of his father and apologized.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

I forget the name of the restaurant, but it was owned by a guy that had problems in New York with debts to the sicilians, it was Salvatore Profaci, and Joe Bonanno that took care of those. The guy moved to Tuscan before Joe did, and they met again. The guy gave a piece of the business to Joe out of respect, cause it was Joe who took care of the man's entry into the states while Salvatore had gotten him a job. That is the story. Joe had a temper as well, Joe Jr was more laid back.

Bills temper pissed off some of the members of the San Jose family when they heard about what he did to Rose. She was welcomed in Cerrito, Costanza, Figlia, and Misuraca household, but those members would have preferred if Bill just stayed outside. Salvatore Cerrito did not allow Bill to get out of his car when he showed up at Sal's house once.

[Lupara]

Ciacomo, when you say SF family do you mean the San Francisco family?

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Yes, I mean the San Francisco family when I use SF.

[funkster]

Good stuff.

[Sol]

I forget the name of the restaurant, but it was owned by a guy that had problems in New York with debts to the sicilians, it was Salvatore Profaci, and Joe Bonanno that took care of those. The guy moved to Tuscan before Joe did, and they met again. The guy gave a piece of the business to Joe out of respect, cause it was Joe who took care of the man's entry into the states while Salvatore had gotten him a job. That is the story. Joe had a temper as well, Joe Jr was more laid back.

Bills temper pissed off some of the members of the San Jose family when they heard about what he did to Rose. She was welcomed in Cerrito, Costanza, Figlia, and Misuraca household, but those members would have preferred if Bill just stayed outside. Salvatore Cerrito did not allow Bill to get out of his car when he showed up at Sal's house once.

Totally agree Funkster. Giacomo, Is Joe Jr still alive? Also, did any of Joe Sr kids beside Bill get involved in the "life"? Even if it was a minor role or just associates/fringe players?......Soliai

[B.]

Joe Bonanno Jr. passed away I believe. He wasn't involved in the life and seems to have been a victim of his father and brother's fame, really. He was apparently something of a rebel, though, and I don't know whether anyone could call him fully "legitimate" when he was younger.

I forget that the San Jose family was also connected to the Profaci family through the Misuracas. It seems like there was barely an organic family there and more just a place for connected guys from elsewhere who wanted to settle down a bit. The LA family isn't that much different in the grand scheme of things, just bigger and more active in their prime. It's no wonder the Bonannos thought they could take over the state.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Joe Jr was never made and only did minor things for the family. Once he moved to California, he followed bills lead, but had a side pot operation going on with help by Mule, Don Ditri, and a couple of others. Like I said he was laid back and you would not have thought him a Bonanno from how he acted. One of Bills kids did get a little involved in the life, but that was when he was a teen and early twenties, when he was going to college, once he graduate he stopped. I don't know if Joe Jr is still alive, but he was still breathing in 2008. He attended Vito Adragna funeral. Bill passed away in 06, there are reports that Joe Jr died in 06, but that is not true. For the most part Joe Jr stayed away from that life, but paid his respects to members when ever he saw them. Joe Sr, had three kids, Bill, Catherine, and Joe Jr. These other two kids that are mentioned sometimes are Joe Bonventre children a cousin to Joe Sr. Joe Sr also used the alias Joe Bonventre though.

Profaci crime family we're connected to the names I listed for Rosalie Profaci. Bonanno had connections with the Sciortino, Vicari, and a couple of others. Salvatore Profaci and Frank Garafolo were theven the guys that made strong connections with San Jose.

[dixiemafia]

But Joe had that illegitimate child in Hot Springs Arkansas remember?

[jimmyb]

Carmine Galante is always credited with bringing over sicilian in the 1950 into the Bonanno family to beef up its numbers. That is not true, two soldiers in his crew, Giuseppe Buccellato and Michaelangelo Vitale were responsible for that. During the split, Giuseppe would go to Smittys crew, while Vitale would either remain in Consolo crew, which was Galantes crew, or split from that crew to form his own crew. Both men we're know as heavy hitters, and it was the Buccellato clan that killed Vitale in 67' in Sicily.

Hk, you are right. Massino killed Zummo without the Bonanno higher ups knowing about.

Chicago did not have a problem with Bonanno being out in Arizona, till Joe told Peter Licavoli of Detroit, and Joe Colletti of Colorado, he was going to require made members of other families to get his ok if they decide to move and live in Arizona. Arizona has been open since Chicago and Pueblo Colorado agreed with the commission to have Arizona, and Nevada be open territories.

This is interesting information about Vitale. I'd like to know more about this. One of the Detroit Buccellatos was married to a Vitale. One of the family elders from this branch is still alive and was telling me about this the other day. One of her Vitale cousins married Jimmy Quasarano. She told me that Michaelangelo used to visit Detroit. As far as she knew, he was here to visit family. But Michaelangelo was involved in drug trade with Jimmy Q. Jimmy Q used to travel to NY and meet with Vitale there as well.

Anyhow, I always wondered if Vitale was made guy in CDG cosca or Bonanno org? This is first time I'm hearing that Vitale was clipped. Any idea why Buccellatos would hit Vitale? 1967 is interesting time. You obviously have Banana War, but my theory is: this is around time Buccellatos (re)emerge as hegemonic force in CDG. Gaspare and Giuseppe Magaddino were on the run. Diego Plaja was still around, but I think this is when Nino Buccellato took over as boss. So if Vitale was hit in 67, was that related to political turnover in Castellammare?

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Oh you mean Daniel Bonanno? That is bullshit, Daniel was the son of William Bonanno, the son of Frank Boanno one of Joe Sr cousins. Daniel was into many things, and growing up he met, Carmine Galante and Antonio Buffa, he was then put on recorded with Buffa, who was a zip and chef. Daniel was killed in Hawaii by drug smugglers that he got sideways with in prison. He was not made nor a son of Joe Sr. That guy in Arkansas is nuts.

JimmyB, yes Vitale had family in Detroit as well. Jimmy was with the sicilian clans. From what I heard, was that after Vitale was killed, Bonanno check with his cousins the Bonventre in CDG, word came back that is was Salvatore Buccellato who was the killer, and the order came from New York. Bonanno had to make sure it was not a Sicilian matter, or he would be fighting in Sicily as well. Vitale was a huge blow to Joe, he had his suspicions, he ordered his mename to watch key members in the opposition, and were confirmed at the pomotion of Consiglieri by Smitty. Joe ordered Gaspare Magaddino to kill some members at the restaurant, half of the targets we're there, and word got Gaspare that two other targets wereally meeting Gambino and Lucchese members that evening. The last target was running late, so Magaddino did the deed anyway and left.

[bronx]

buffa was a partner in the pisa catering hall i believe

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Bronx, that was the Profaci capo Tony Buffa. The Buffa I was talking about belonged to a sicilian clan, don't know which one. I don't believe they are related either, but they might be. Daniel was Buffa gopher really, then Tony moved back to Sicily during early 1990s, and Bonanno hooked up with some LA members in the drug bussiness.

[Giacomo_Vacari]

Correction, it was William not Daniel who was on recorded with Buffa.

[B.]

Speaking of Buffa, there is one tape from Sam DeCavalcante's office where he and Frank Majuri are talking about going to a wake in Brooklyn "when Buffo died". I assume this is in reference to Profaci member Antonio Buffa.